C.J. A-OK: C.J. Anderson provided hope on a memorable fourth-down run. He bounced off three tacklers to keep a drive breathing. He delivered in the biggest game of his career.

Welcome back, Julius: Julius Thomas, a ghost in the game plan the past six weeks due to a left ankle injury, caught a 32-yard first-quarter pass and forced an interference call at the goal line. It tied for his second-longest reception of the season.

Marshall plan: LB Brandon Marshall fought through his injured left foot to play significant snaps. His inability to stay on the field throughout, though, hurt the Broncos in coverage.

Demaryius Thomas catches a 1-yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning in the first quarter. (Tim Rasmussen, The Denver Post)

WORSTS

Slot machine: The Broncos elected to match cornerback Aqib Talib with T.Y. Hilton rather than Chris Harris. It proved a mistake. Referees flagged Talib for two first-half penalties, and he gave up chunk plays to the speedy slot receiver.

Newsome troublesome: Colts defensive end Jonathan Newsome raced around left tackle Ryan Clady as if he were a pylon, sacking Peyton Manning and causing a fumble that led to the Colts’ second score.

Drop back: Demaryius Thomas picked a bad day to have a bad day. He dropped two short first-half passes.Read more…

In their first game of the 2015 postseason, the Denver Broncos (12-4) host the Indianapolis Colts (12-5) in a divisional playoff at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. The Denver Post’s Mike Klis, Troy E. Renck, Mark Kiszla and Benjamin Hochman, as well as Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star and Justin Adams of 7News, join Robin Carlin to break down the matchup.

Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall will return from a foot injury to face the Colts on Sunday. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

Brandon Marshall spoke with confidence Friday, unable to hide his smile. He feels ready to play, even if his sprained left foot is not 100 percent. Had Sunday been a regular-season game, Marshall might not be available. But after progressing slowly during the week, Marshall is expected to be active for divisional playoff against the Colts.

The question remains: How effective can he be? Marshall, who missed the final two regular-season games after getting hurt on a tackle against the Chargers, told the Post that he expects to play either base or nickel, but likely not both. The Broncos need to keep him on a play count, and monitor him closely. Marshall sprinted for the first time on Friday. Even he doesn’t know how his foot will respond in coverage, when he must move laterally and make quick, decisive cuts.

Marshall is a tackling machine and excels in coverage. But, again, he must be watched. Linebackers Todd Davis and Steven Johnson figure to see plenty of snaps regardless of Marshall’s health.

The Broncos should be able to beat the Colts with a limited Marshall. It’s hard to see Denver beating the Patriots in New England — if Denver wins Sunday — without Marshall. Getting him back in the lineup is a start. Keeping him healthy in limited duty is equally important.

The Broncos’ defense run back an interception during a Dec. 24, 1977 divisional playoff victory over the Steelers. (Ernie Leyba, The Denver Post)

The Broncos’ third-best defense in the NFL will have to move aside Sunday. Just for a while.

Several members of the Broncos’ legendary 1977 Orange Crush defense will be honored during halftime of Sunday’s AFC divisional playoff game against the Colts at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, the team announced Wednesday.

A tribute will acknowledge the players and coaches in attendance and recap the famed ’77 season, when the Broncos, led by its defense, reached its first postseason and Super Bowl berth.

Flacco, the new Eli Manning, continues to play his best when it matters most. A pedestrian quarterback during the regular season, he delivered a performance that conjured memories of his magical 2012 Super Bowl lap. Flacco finihsed 18-for-29 for 259 yards and two scores. He had just five completions for 74 yards at halftime before connecting on scores to Torrey Smith and former CSU star Crockett Gillmore, helping the Ravens advance to face the top-seeded New England Patriots.

“You have to play these games to win. You can’t play these games not to lose,” Flacco said. “It’s about playing aggressive football, not having a conscience.”

The Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore celebrates a fourth quarter touchdown with teammate James Hurst against the Pittsburgh Steelers during their AFC Wild Card game at Heinz Field on Jan. 3, 2015 in Pittsburgh. (Jamie Squire, Getty Images)

Terrell Suggs shoved Flacco into position to seal coach John Harbaugh’s seventh playoff road win, matching the NFL record. With the Ravens leading 23-15, Pittsburgh running back Ben Tate, signed earlier in the week, missed a block on the blitz, leaving quarterback Ben Roethlisberger eluding the rush. Roethlisberger escaped and tried to flip a desperate pass to Tate. Tate missed it. Pass protection and catching the ball out of the backfield are strengths of the injured Le’Veon Bell, the play explaining why he was sorely missed.

After Tate couldn’t corral the pass, it landed in linebacker Suggs’ belly. He fell to the ground and pinched the football between his knees, somehow preventing it from touching the soggy Heinz Field turf.

Peyton Manning hands off to C.J. Anderson, who had three rushing touchdowns in the Broncos’ victory. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

In their final game of the regular season, the Denver Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders, 47-14, at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday to secure a first-round playoff bye. Here were the notable and not-so-notable moments from the victory.

BESTS

D.T. makes history: Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas broke Rod Smith’s single-season record of 1,602 receiving yards. Thomas eclipsed the mark in the second quarter as he produced his 10th, 100-yard game this season. Signing Thomas to a longterm contract remains a priority for the Broncos.

Go Wes, young man: Wes Welker returned back-to-back punts for 18 and 19 yards, and recovered a fumble to prevent a short field for the Raiders.

Run to daylight: Omar Bolden is bold, man. He took the second-half kick six yards deep in the end zone and returned it 76 yards, one shy of his season-high set against the Bengals.

WORSTS

Going the wrong way: Peyton Manning suffered an unusual turnover. He threw a backward pass to Emmanuel Sanders that Justin Tuck deflected. Keith McGill scooped it up and ran for a touchdown. Manning, meanwhile, was tagged for a five-yard loss and a fumble.

Julius Thomas’s role reduced: The Broncos continue to grapple with ways to fit tight end Julius Thomas into their new balanced offense. He played minimally in the first half, flexed out as a receiver and serving primarily as a decoy.

Franklin, Bruton hurt: Left guard Orlando Franklin and David Bruton suffered concussions. Bruton was taken to the hospital after a brutal hit late in the game.Read more…

With a first-round playoff bye on the line, the Denver Broncos (11-4) host the Oakland Raiders (3-12) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday in the final game of the regular season. The Denver Post’s Mike Klis, Troy E. Renck, Mark Kiszla and Benjamin Hochman join Robin Carlin to break down the Week 17 matchup.

T.J. Ward was helped off the field after injuring his neck in last Monday’s game against the Bengals. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

After not practicing all week because of a sprained neck, Broncos strong safety T.J. Ward will not play Sunday in the season finale against the Oakland Raiders.

Ward’s neck was stiff all week and the Broncos are expected to err on the side of caution. With Ward down, David Bruton is expected to get his first start since the 2011 season second-round playoff game at New England.

Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe rebounded this season after a frightening medical scare 13 months ago. At his lowest, he dropped to 255 pounds. Doubt entered his mind. But as he recovered from a seizure, he realized he would play again.

“What I went through was just trying to get back to normal. On the field, I am starting to feel like myself, instead of somebody who didn’t have weight behind me, didn’t have strength, all the stuff I am used to having,” Wolfe told me recently. “I feel a lot better than last year. I can’t imagine feeling any worse than that.”

When looking for reasons why the Broncos have arguably their best defensive line in franchise history, don’t forget about Wolfe. He ranks as one of the most productive players per snap in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Like Malik Jackson, he is strong enough to defend the run, and quick enough to rush the passer.

Wolfe began his trek to the NFL while starring for Cincinnati. He returns on Monday night, keeping a low profile.

“I will probably get around eight tickets,” Wolfe said. “And there will be more people there as well.”

A brutish presence at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, Wolfe owns 32 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season. He landed in Denver after starring for the Bearcats. Wolfe was named the Big East Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year and earned second-team All-America honors as a senior in 2011 after posting 9.5 sacks.

Peyton Manning and the Broncos returned to practice on Wednesday. No helmets were required as the team continues to balance rest and recovery down the stretch. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

The calendar and the training room can dictate practice this time of year. With three games remaining, a common opponent in San Diego and the bye week occurring two months ago, the Broncos practiced without helmets on Wednesday.

In the second quarter of the Broncos’ 24-17 win over the Bills at Sports Authority Field on Sunday, Anderson bulldozed his way into the end zone for a one-yard score, his second of three touchdowns on the night.

As he got up to celebrate, line judge John Hussey and umpire Carl Paganelli turned to each other and did the same in their own way: a first bump for making the correct call. From Hussey’s position, it was hard to tell if the ball crossed the plane of the goal line before Anderson’s knee hit the ground. So Paganelli sorted it out, and gave a thumbs up to Hussey, who threw his hands up to signal the touchdown.Read more…

C.J. Anderson and the Broncos’ defense spoiled Kyle Orton’s return to Denver with a 24-17 win over his Buffalo Bills at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. Here were the notable and not-so-notable moments from the Denver victory.

BESTS

Unique Malik: Defensive end Malik Jackson played his best 30 minutes as a Bronco. He posted six tackles, two for losses, and a sack in the first half.

Thompson shines: With C.J. Anderson receiving a breather, undrafted rookie Juwan Thompson set up the Broncos’ third score with a 9-yard catch and run, followed by a 47-yard scamper behind a Ryan Clady block.

Sanders bounces back: Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders absorbed a vicious second-quarter shot from Bills’ cornerback Stephon Gilmore. Sanders jumped to his feet, pumped up the crowd, and took a bow.

WORSTS

Off the mark: Peyton Manning received the coverage he wanted but wasn’t able to exploit it. With wideout Emmanuel Sanders streaking down the center of the field in the first quarter, Manning underthrew him and the pass was intercepted by Bills cornerback Corey Graham. Manning threw two picks, and his TD-pass streak ended at 51 games.

J.T. unable to play: Tight end Julius Thomas (ankle injury) made the active roster for Sunday’s game, but he never took a snap.

Tamme’s turnover: Tight end Jacob Tamme fumbled in the red zone, one week after dropping a potential touchdown pass.Read more…

Eric LeGrand, pictured at an event in June, attended the Broncos’ game against the Bills at Sports Authority Field. (Neilson Barnard, Getty Images)

The distance from New Jersey to Denver is nearly 1,800 miles. That’s about four hours by plane, or 26 by car.

For diehard Broncos fan Eric LeGrand, it’s nothing.

LeGrand, a former Rutgers player, traveled from his home state to the Mile High City on Sunday to watch his beloved Broncos take on the Bills at Sports Authority Field, the second time he’s traveled cross-country for a game in Denver.

Of course you’re wondering: How is he a Broncos fan being from–

“Jersey, yeah,” LeGrand said Sunday, knowing the question would inevitably come up. “I grew up watching Terrell Davis as a kid, when I was 6 years old and I’ve been a fan ever since. I never went back on them. I said when I was 6 years old I’m going to follow this team and I’ve been following them since.”

LeGrand, who wore No. 30 in Davis’ honor before college, met Davis last time he attended a Broncos game at Mile High. It was Dec. 27, 2011. The Broncos were hosting the Chiefs and Tim Tebow was in as quarterback.

Things have changed a bit since LeGrand was last here, but his loyalty to the Orange & Blue has not.Read more…

Out-Foxed. Broncos coach John Fox went rogue in the second quarter. On fourth-and-seven after a penalty on a punt, Fox called the fake. David Bruton, the upback, took the direct snap and plowed for 13 yards. He had outgained the Chiefs’ offense at that juncture in the first quarter.

In the clutch. The Broncos set the tone in the first quarter, converting five consecutive third downs and nine overall in the first half.

Big paw. Terrance Knighton, who can dunk flat-footed, jumped to deflect Alex Smith’s third-quarter pass into DeMarcus Ware’s arms. Ware’s third career interception resulted in a Connor Barth field goal.

WORSTS

Houston, we have turnover. Justin Houston finally topped Louis Vasquez, beating the right tackle to the edge on the Broncos’ first third down of the second half. He chopped Peyton Manning’s arm, causing a fumble that the Chiefs converted into a 39-yard field goal.

Kickoff concern. Connor Barth was nails on field goals, but his kickoffs never reached the end zone, leading to explosive returns.

Missed chances. The Broncos held a 13-point lead in the first half, but it could have been more if not for back-to-back drops by Jacob Tamme and Demaryius Thomas in the end zone.

Offense: This is the type of offense that wins in the playoffs. At halftime, the Broncos had rushed 21 times, compared to 20 passes. C.J. Anderson’s ability to make the first tackler miss, then wear down defenders in the second half, paid huge dividends. He bulled for 100 yards for the second game in a row. Grade: A

Defense: The Chiefs didn’t reach positive yards until the second quarter. They owned 66 through three quarters, one of Broncos most dominant performances in recent memory. The Broncos stopped the run, created a turnover (DeMarcus Ware’s third career pick) and harassed Alex Smith. Grade: A+

Special Teams: The group rebounded like Dennis Rodman after last week’s failing grade. David Bruton converted a fake punt into a first down. Isaiah Burse delivered a season-high 22-yard punt return. And Connor Barth made five short field goals. The one issue was Barth’s leg strength, raising the question: Should the Broncos re-sign Brandon McManus to boot kickoffs? Grade: A

Denver Broncos head coach John Fox calls instructions in the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014. (Charlie Riedel, The Associated Press)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A win on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium would give John Fox and the Broncos the second-longest road division winning streak in NFL history.

The longest road division streak was put together by the Joe Montana-dynasty San Francisco 49ers, who won 12 NFC West road games in a row from October 1987 until December 1990.

Fox has two teams that are tied for the second-longest streak with 10 consecutive road division wins — his Carolina Panthers from 2004-07 and his current Broncos, who started their 10-game streak with a Tim Tebow-led victory at Oakland in November 2011.

Run for the hills: Denver ran nine times in its first 12 plays, showing balance as the offensive line responded to the barrage of criticism last week. Denver nearly achieved a 50-50 run-pass balance for the game.

Sandman the man: Emmanuel Sanders, who suffered a concussion last week, stretched Miami’s defense with vertical routes, finishing with his sixth 100-yard game this season.

C.J. A-OK: Anderson eclipsed 100 yards in his third start. It wasn’t just the amount, but the method. He ran with urgency and attitude befitting the importance of the first home game in a month.

WORSTS

Fumble!: The Broncos entered the game with two recovered fumbles. They forced three on the Dolphins’ final scoring drive and were unable to pounce on any of them.

Burst bubble: Isaiah Burse has improved at catching punts, but he committed his biggest mistake at a bad time. He made a poor decision to field a third quarter punt. Then he stayed on his feet too long as the Dolphins’ ambushed him, causing a fumble and leading to a score.

Brandon Marshall (54) had a career-high 15 tackles in the Broncos’ loss to the Rams. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

The Broncos capped their three-game road trip with arguably their worst regular-season performance so far, a 22-7 loss to the Rams. Here were the notable and not-so-notable moments from the Denver defeat.

BESTS

One-man gang: Linebacker Brandon Marshall admitted that reaching 100 tackles carries significance. He could eclipse that total Sunday after finishing with 15 tackles against the Rams, giving him 90 for the season.

Harris has it covered: While the secondary struggled at times, Chris Harris did not. The cornerback continued to show why he deserves a big payday, blanketing receivers.

O-line out of sync: Regression, not progress, defined the reshaped offensive line was penalized five times: Ryan Clady (one), Louis Vasquez (two) and Orlando Franklin (two). The Broncos were unable to run, finishing with 28 yards on the ground.

Ball hurt, twice: Montee Ball injured his right groin on a third-down pass route. He sat out a series and returned to drop a pass before limping off.

Who has Britt?: Kenny Britt nearly scored on Aqib Talib and burned Bradley Roby for a 63-yard touchdown on a go route.Read more…

Julius Thomas heads to the locker room after injuring his ankle in the first half against the Rams. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

ST. LOUIS — X-rays on Julius Thomas’ injured ankle were negative Sunday, but the tight end will undergo further tests Monday, including a magnetic resonance imaging exam.

Thomas injured his ankle after making a 2-yard reception during the Broncos’ second drive Sunday in a 22-7 loss to the St. Louis Rams. He had caught a 1-yard pass on third-and-2 during the Broncos’ first drive and finished with two catches for 3 yards.

It was an ankle injury that caused Thomas to struggle through a slow start in his career. He made a 5-yard catch in the Broncos’ second game of his rookie season in 2011, but suffered what was then determined to be a high ankle sprain on the play. Two years later, Thomas still had one catch for 5 yards in his career before he broke out in his third season of 2013 with 12 touchdown catches.Read more…

Broncos wide receiver Cody Latimer (14) catches a touchdown pass during the third quarter against San Francisco 49ers. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

ST. LOUIS — The Broncos are going with a little more bulk on their special teams units Sunday. Second-round receiver Cody Latimer is inactive after he had dressed for the previous two games, while offensive tackle-guard Paul Cornick is back playing after he missed last week’s game at Oakland.

Latimer got his first NFL catch in the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 41-17 win against the Raiders. But he is inactive this week for the seventh time in 10 games.

C.J. Anderson turned the game around with his 51-yard touchdown catch, the first for him this season. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

ST. LOUIS — C.J. Anderson did enough last week in the Broncos’ win at Oakland to earn his first NFL start here Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.

More than enough. Anderson, an undrafted second-year back from Cal, rushed for 90 yards on 6.9 yards per carry against the Raiders, plus caught a dump pass behind the line of scrimmage from Peyton Manning and turned it into a tackle-breaking, field-crossing, 51-yard touchdown.

Anderson will start while Montee Ball, who grew up about 25 miles from St. Louis, will be the No. 2 back. Ball is returning from a groin injury that sidelined him the previous five games.

Once again, rookie Juwan Thompson will be the Broncos’ No. 3 back. Undrafted rookie Kapri Bibbs will not dress.

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.